Ledgends of the Fall Edward Zwick Starring: Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn, Julia Ormond : I’m beginning to see a pattern in Brad Pitt’s choice of roles. In Kaliforinia he’s a serial killer, in True Romance he’s a spaced roommate, and in Interview with the Vampire he’s a depressed vampire. Well, you may ask, what is his character like in Legends of the Fall? The answer is obvious-- he’s a depressed, spaced, serial killer. Well, maybe it can’t be broken down that easily. In fact, he’s not depressed whole movie; just 90% of it. ~The film is told through the old eyes of a Cree scout. He tells the story of a family he is very close to; as he has watched them come through some pretty tough times. The head of the house is Col. William Ludlow, played by Anthony Hopkins, who looks over his land in the Montana Rockies with his three sons. These three boys have been quite a hand full for the old Colonel. The youngest son, Samuel (Henry Thomas), has just arrived home from university with his fiance. The oldest son, Alfred (Quinn), basically hangs around the ranch, but is show- ing a growing ambition to get involved in politics. Then there is Tristan, (Pitt) the middle son and the character the story revolves around. --- Tristan was a deep kid. He doesn’t talk much; and This | cinema Week Whale Music Starring Maury Chaykin (Best Actor 1994 Genie Awards} Jennifer Dale Paul Gross Cyndy Preston StarGate Kart Rassell @ James Spader 3 Annual Memberships $15.00 Students only $10.00) sCn | Regular $6.00 es hnuary 24, 1995 receives all his advice from the scout who tells the story. As the boy grows, his favourite hobbies become wrestling bears and breaking horses. What we see in Legends is the transformation of this untroubled boy, into a brooding, tormented man. As we follow him through the years, we see a family get tornapart with sorrow and tragedy. The first signs of trouble begin when the woman Samuel brings home wins the hearts of the othertwo brothers. As hidden love develops between the characters, their patriotic fires burn brighter when they hear of England’s situation in the war. The three brothers leave to fight, and when they return their lives will not be the same. : Legends of the Fall is one of those ‘‘turn of the century’’ movies that often make people yawn. However, those same movies are often rewarded at Oscar time, as Ithink Legends will be. Maybe not for best picture, but one thing that this movie has going for it is the acting. There are often disputes about Brad Pitt’s acting ability. Some think he is brilliant, others think he stinks. I’m somewhere in the middle. Someday he will be an excellent actor, but not yet. However, his performance in Legends of the Fall is definitely a step in the right direction. As Tristan, he has proven that he can carry a movie and still keep his dignity acting with greats like Hopkins. _ The best performance is by Hopkins who can play an emotionally repressed man in his sleep. (Howards End/Re- mains of the Day) Anthony Hopkins is the greatest actor working today and it should be said a bluntly as possible. Byall this it should be clear that I enjoyed the movie very much. Besides all the dramayou get in a afternoon soap opera, the film has sights and soundsthat make it impossible to resist. Rated: A- -- David Ramsay Magnificent Obsessions Mitch Tuchman (Chronicle Books) We have all collected something at some point in our life. It may be baseball cards or Star Trekmemorabilia, but it may also be carnival horses or Studebakers, as in the remarkable collec- tions of 20 individuals featured in Magnificent Obsessions. Spectacular photos by Peter Brenner accompany in- depth interview with each of the collectors. Asa coffee-table book, it will captivate you and your guests. Obsessions that seem outrageous at first, begin to make perfect sense as you read. Tuchman reveals to us the difference between curiosity and obsession and what leads usall to want to accumulate things that only we understand. This captivating collection will make you read it cover to cover in one sitting, and it is the true gift for the ‘‘person who has everything’’. -- Aldera Chisholm Ready to Wear Pret a Porter If you saw the previews ‘for this movie and thought wow, this looks good, you’d be wrong. The only really good thing about the movie is that it has Julia Roberts in it. The movie revolves around the ready-to-wear collections in Paris. Twice a year all the designers in Paris have their fashion shows, and basically. it's non-stop glamour ‘and excitement for all those involved in the fashion industry. : Here’s the plot: ‘Two reporters (Julia Roberts and some minor male actor) end up sharing a room by some twist of fate. It turns out they don’t know each other and they have both lost their luggage. With no clothes to wear they end up spending the rest of the movie in bed together. Meanwhile one of fashions directors has been murdered and everyone is in a big uproar, except his widow, she’s glad that he’s dead. Kitty Potter, (picture Jeannie Becker with a Texan accent), is trying to. interview every designer she can get a hold of, trying to grasp the whole concept of what goes on on a Paris fashion Tunway. Basically the movie has a lot of little story lines that barely connect and there's a lot of very tall women walking around half-naked, andat the end of the movie completely naked. ‘After talking to other people who saw the movie I still have no idea what the symbolic dog crap that everyone steps in really means. I would not recommend this movie to anyone who is not really interested in fashion. For those students taking the social psychology of clothing 402, yes, go see the movie it has excellent examples to help you with the course. I give Pret a Porter 3 stars out of six. -- J.Caseley Lost in North America John Gray (Talon Books) Some of you will recognize the name John Gray from the CBC, or as the author of “‘Billy Bishop Goes to War’’. This book is subtitled ‘‘The Imaginary Canadian in the American Dream’’. In fact, it is touted to assert the Canadian identity and to be ‘‘full of wit, insight and breathtaking discoveries about ourselves in the world’’. Instead, the reader is subjected to the tired old euphemisms about the Canadian way of life. For example, “‘Canadians resent littering, but will not complain if you do. They can be belligerent, but will apologize when they bump into you-- sometimes even when you bump into them.”’ Gee, sound familiar? The entire text reads like a series of disjointed memoirs, and although the occasional recollec- tion may be amusing, it doesn’t say anything that hasn’t been said before. There are enough negative myths out there about Canada, do we really need to perpetrate them further, even in the name of satire. -- Aldera Chisholm History of Warfare John Keegan (Vintage Books) This book is for history and war fanatics alike. It is one of several books by Keegan in this field. Keegan is also partici- pating in the Barbara Frum Lectures, broadcast by CBC and published by Knopf Canada in the spring of 1995. Keegan presents an extensive examination of war in the historical context. He begins with earliest history of primitive peoples such as the Aztecs, and Egyptians right through to World War II and the nuclear age. His analysis sp *ns several main headings including Stone, Flesh, and Armies. An addi- tional feature is two sections of photographs, depicting much of the subjects he has discussed. The writing is relatively straight forward, although is some what heavy. There are some technical terms, but these do not break up the flow of the writing. It is a historical book and would probably be dry to those who have no interest in the subject. In general, the book is well written and informative. However, itis not light reading, as Keegan is probing the history of war: Nonetheless, this book makes for intriguing reading. -- Yvonne MacKean 7 a7 a — * — = f = _ TE CURT PS visu rf